2025 - Essex and Giant’s Neck.
May 8th: With new bottom and bootstripe paint and a polished hull, ORION looked like a million bucks when she was launched for the season.
May 29th: It was a cool day with light winds when we finally got to take our first official sail in the Niantic River. I fixed an upside-down sail slug and made other small adjustments.
June 19th: With Harry out of school for the summer, we went for an afternoon sail in Niantic Bay.
We sailed over to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, had some lunch at their restaurant, and sailed back in beautiful conditions.
June 27th: Harry and I sailed to the WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport. Even though the 10-15 knot wind was on the nose the whole time, the current helped us along.
We stayed overnight then went to the Show on Saturday before motoring back that afternoon. Check out the Google photo album of the trip.
July 17th: I stopped in to visit my friend Tack Ryan on my way to Niantic and checked out his work as he gets O’Day Mariner #3602 MISCHIEF back in sailing condition.
I then had a great sail with my friend Chris Kent out in Niantic Bay, and we sailed to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club for some lunch.
It was a hot day, but the food was great and the sailing even better.
July 19: I took my wife, son, sister-in-law and her husband as well as their two kids out into Niantic Bay to anchor and see the fireworks for Celebrate East Lyme.
August 1st: The 2025 Mariner Rendezvous began! Twelve boats participated in this year’s event, launching from Niantic and sailing to Essex.
There was a small craft advisory for the morning, but we had a beautiful sail under reefed mains and working jibs in ideal conditions with the wind coming from the northeast.
Essex Island Marina was our destination, and ten of us fit on both sides of one dock while the other two shared a nearby slip.
We had a great weekend, exploring Hamburg Cove, sailing on the ONRUST at the Connecticut River Museum, and enjoying a perfect sail home on Sunday. Check out the Photo Album.
September 4th: A beautiful day out on the Bay! I took my father along this afternoon with the intention of flying the spinnaker.
Initially, it seemed as though it might be too breezy to fly the spinnaker, but it ended up being just right.
September 11th: I sailed around Black Point to Giant’s Neck with the TRUE LOVE in tow. The wind plus incoming current had us over seven knots over ground at times!
Once at anchor north of Griswold Island, I put the awning up and settled back in the cabin for a few minutes. Not a bad view out of the companionway.
I went rowing up the Pattagansett River about a mile in the TRUE LOVE, threading my way through the marshes.
My friends Doug and Bonnie Butler met me for lunch, rafting up alongside. Check out the Google Photo Album of the trip.
September 19th: I motored up the left fork of the Niantic River about 2.5 miles, anchoring for lunch and attending to some chores on the boat.
The clouds broke up and it became a beautiful sunny day. Turkey Point, usually a popular spot for boaters and kayakers during the summer, was deserted on this mid-September Thursday afternoon.
October 2nd: I went out into Niantic Bay and crossed paths with this beautiful catboat named LITTLE FEATHER sailing out of the Yacht Club.
I anchored tucked into the northwest corner of the Bay just below McCook’s park and had a quick lunch.
The spire of St. Agnes church pokes above the trees behind the Hole-In-The-Wall beach.
The weather had predicted 10-15 knot winds gusting to 20, but instead it was light and variable. I motored most of the way home, but who cares? It was a gorgeous day.
October 9th: I went sailing with my friend Christopher Grundy on the Niantic River. A small craft advisory in the morning gave way to beautiful sailing in the afternoon.
We motored to Turkey Point where I beached ORION, and we went hiking in the Oswegatchie Hills before returning to the boat for lunch and more sailing.
October 10th: As much as I wanted to keep ORION in the water until November, approaching storms and a full work schedule prompted me to end the season early.
It turned out to be a wise move; I wouldn’t have had the chance to go sailing again anyway. She finally made it inside her boatshed more than a month later. I’m already looking forward to the 2026 sailing season!